3 London Knights, Aylmer's Cameron Reid chosen in 2025 National Hockey League Draft
After two days and 224 selections, the ice chips have settled following another NHL Draft.
Henry Brzustewicz, Aleksei Medvedev and Noah Read of the London Knights and Cameron Reid of Aylmer, Ont., heard their names called at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, which is a regular home of the Emmys, the Grammys and the ESPYs among other major award ceremonies.
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Night number one saw Reid and Brzustewicz drafted 21st and 31st overall respectively.
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Brzustewicz got on of the largest cheers as he went to the host Los Angeles Kings in front of the crowd
The two-time OHL champion and Memorial Cup champion Brzustewicz joins London teammate Jared Woolley who was selected by the Kings in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft.
Brzustewicz made plays all over the ice in his second year in the Ontario Hockey League and may have saved his biggest goal of the season for the Memorial Cup tournament when he opened the scoring against the host Rimouski Oceanic in a 3-1 Knights win.
Reid is coming off a solid year with the Kitchener Rangers where he was named an alternate captain with the team and recorded 14 goals and 54 points in 67 games.
Reid played for Elgin-Middlesex growing up.
On day two of the draft, the Vancouver Canucks called the name of London goaltender Aleksei Medvedev in the second round with the 47th overall pick.
Medvedev left home in St. Petersburg, Russia at 14 years old and went to live with a family member in Toronto, Ont., with the hope of one day making hockey a career.
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He shared the Knights crease in the regular season with Austin Elliott as a 17-year old and had a 2.79 goals against average and a .912 save percentage in his rookie season in the OHL.
That kind of a performance earned him the F.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy which goes to the OHL rookie with the lowest goals against average.
The Anaheim Ducks selected London forward Noah Read in the third round with the 72nd overall pick.
Read took full advantage of his opportunities from training camp forward.
The St. Catharines, Ont., native came into the season as a 10th round pick with only an outside chance at earning a roster spot on a Knights roster full of returnees.
Not only did Read make the team, he became a player who earned more and more ice time as the year went along. He helped to eliminate the Owen Sound Attack with a hat trick in the series-clinching game in the first round of the OHL playoffs.
Next up in the draft world in hockey will be the 2025 CHL Import Selection which will take place on Wednesday, June 2.
Canadian Hockey League teams are permitted three import picks on their rosters.
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That marks an increase from two in 2024-25.
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